I am a freelance travel journalist. Part-time. I’m lucky enough to be invited on press trips, or arrange my own press trips, and go away a few times a year rather than just the once or not at all.
The rest of the time I am a blogger, web editor, social media-ite, sub-editing pedant and photographer. I like creating content as I go, not the polished travel narratives and end products that are commissioned.
I want a place to write up my travels so I’ve started (yet another) blog.
But how to write up? That is the million-dollar question.
And I’m not sure.
Some thoughts… I’d like to experiment with the information I collect while on a trip. I’d like to play with different structures and styles. Just get away from the traditional weekend supplement narrative with a few unrepresentative pictures, or the online diary that’s aimed at just a few friends.
I want a place to publish my trip notes and make my journalism more transparent? Less literary end product, more ongoing process and reportage.
I always wonder at the wastage of travel journalism – the discarded notes, quotes, shots and impressions that don’t make the final cut of an 800-word newspaper article. But I have a couple of worries about doing it.
- Is there a place for this? An audience? Or am I on my own here?
- What would make it better than other user-generated content? What value does a journalist bring?
- Can it be done only independently (the ideal but more of a hobby with media budgets failing) or can it be created directly for clients (which is financially viable but may create ethical issues)?
- Travel writing emphasises personality but also objectivity. Is one more desirable than the other?
- How can I make these press trips more interactive in a useful way – taking twitrips to a more useful level?
Would be grateful to receive any thoughts people have. I have some ideas but the answers are out there with those who like to read about travel.
